Jersey Teams Show Grit in Rescheduled Muratti and Upton Contests

Jersey’s softball squads travelled to Guernsey over the weekend for the long‑delayed Muratti and Upton fixtures, originally postponed from 2025 after severe weather and cancelled sailings forced the matches to be abandoned. The island was represented by Division 1 champions 3Ci Sport Flyers, Division 2 champions Eagles, and the Island A and Island B squads.

The highlight of the weekend came from the Eagles, who claimed Jersey’s sole victory with a dramatic 27–26 Division 2 Upton win over the V1 Rookies. The game ended in spectacular fashion as captain and left fielder Luke De La Cour launched a pinpoint throw home, allowing the catcher to make the tag for the game‑winning third out.

In the Muratti B fixture, Heidi Freitas earned MVP honours for Jersey after a standout performance that included a superb home run. With several players stepping straight into the B‑team game after competing for the Eagles, the squad showed impressive resilience against a strong Guernsey side.

The Flyers pushed Guernsey’s Division 1 champions, the V NE Electric Rookies, all the way in a tense Upton A match. Captain Chris Le Lion reflected on the narrow 19–14 defeat, saying, “It wasn’t the result we wanted but I would say it was one of the best performances the Flyers has put on in the Division 1 Upton game for some time.”

The Jersey A team also started brightly in their Muratti clash, putting early runs on the board before Guernsey’s top squad, preparing for European competition later this year, unleashed a powerful batting display. Their defensive strength across the diamond proved decisive, and the game concluded early as Jersey’s players had to rush for their return ferry.

Match Results

• Muratti B: Jersey 19–29 Guernsey

• Muratti A: Jersey 10–47 Guernsey

• Upton A (Flyers v Rookies): 14–19

• Upton B (Eagles v V1 Rookies): 27–26

JSA President Phil Bouchard praised the island’s efforts: 

“The wider JSA community in Jersey should be rightly proud of Eagles for their victory in Guernsey. It’s great to bring back some silverware and medals. The Div 1 Upton and B‑team Muratti were both real tussles on the diamond and while Guernsey took the wins, the scorelines were respectable. The A‑team result is tough to take but we wish Guernsey all the best for their European campaign, which they have been training hard for.”

Jersey now looks ahead to the new season with confidence, buoyed by strong individual performances and competitive showings across all squads.